Trains your brain to associate the bed with sleep through stimulus control, sleep restriction, and cognitive reframing. The American College of Physicians' first-line recommendation.

Typical dose

6–8 sessions with a therapist or app

Onset

2–4 weeks for full effect

Best for

Chronic insomnia (>3 nights/week for >3 months)

Watch out for

Requires effort and consistency. The first two weeks of sleep restriction can be tough.

A hormone your pineal gland releases as evening falls. Supplements signal your circadian system that it's time to wind down — useful for shifting the clock, not for sedation.

Typical dose

0.3–1 mg, 30–60 min before bed (most over-the-counter doses are 5-10× higher than needed)

Onset

30–60 minutes

Best for

Jet lag, shift work, delayed sleep phase

Watch out for

Larger doses can cause vivid dreams and grogginess. Not a sleeping pill — useless if you're not chronotype-shifted.

Acts on GABA receptors and helps muscles relax. Best in chelated forms — citrate is a laxative, oxide barely absorbs.

Typical dose

200–400 mg, 30–60 min before bed

Onset

30–90 minutes

Best for

Stress, restless legs, muscle tension at bedtime

Watch out for

Citrate form will cause diarrhoea at the doses that help sleep. Avoid if you have kidney disease.

An amino acid from tea leaves that promotes alpha brain waves — relaxation without sedation. Works particularly well paired with low-dose caffeine for daytime calm.

Typical dose

100–400 mg, 30–60 min before bed

Onset

30–45 minutes

Best for

Racing-mind insomnia, pre-bed anxiety

Watch out for

Effects are subtle — not a knockout. Some users report no effect at all.

An amino acid that lowers core body temperature slightly, mimicking the temperature drop that naturally cues sleep. Small RCTs show improved subjective sleep quality.

Typical dose

3 g, 30–60 min before bed

Onset

30–60 minutes

Best for

Difficulty staying asleep, especially in warm rooms

Watch out for

Evidence base is small and mostly Japanese. Effects are modest.

A traditional herb thought to modulate GABA, though the mechanism is still unclear. Several RCTs but with mixed results.

Typical dose

300–600 mg, 30–60 min before bed

Onset

30–60 minutes

Best for

Mild occasional insomnia

Watch out for

Distinctive smell. Can cause vivid dreams and morning grogginess in some people. Avoid driving the next morning until you know how you respond.

Contains apigenin, which binds weakly to benzodiazepine receptors. The ritual of warm tea is probably half the effect — and that's fine.

Typical dose

1–2 cups of strong tea, or 200–400 mg standardised extract

Onset

20–45 minutes

Best for

Mild stress, building a wind-down ritual

Watch out for

Pollen allergies — chamomile is in the ragweed family. Rare but real allergic reactions.

First-generation antihistamines that cross the blood-brain barrier and cause sedation as a side effect. Sold under brand names like ZzzQuil, Unisom, Nytol.

Typical dose

Diphenhydramine 25–50 mg, doxylamine 12.5–25 mg, 30 min before bed

Onset

20–30 minutes

Best for

Single bad night, occasional use only

Watch out for

Tolerance builds fast. Morning grogginess is common. Linked to long-term cognitive risk in older adults. Not for nightly use.